As authorities make another facebook-related prosecution
Source: ZLHR rescues nurses haunted for violating COVID-19 national lockdown regulations – The Zimbabwean
A ZIMBABWEAN court on Tuesday 7 July 2020 set free 11 nurses who were
arrested on Monday 6 July 2020 and charged with contravening some
national lockdown regulations after they allegedly gathered at Sally
Mugabe Central Hospital in Harare for a feedback meeting pertaining to
a litany of grievances against their employer.
Although Zimbabwe Republic Police (ZRP) members first arrested 13
nurses at Sally Mugabe Central Hospital and charged them with
partaking in a gathering or convening a gathering, two of the nurses
namely Adelaide Mandizvidza and Georgina Muchemwa, who are
breastfeeding, were released on Monday 6 July 2020 after paying some
admission of guilty fines so as to allow them to attend to their
children.
At Mbare Magistrates Court, prosecutors alleged that the 11 nurses
namely Ndadyei Gudza, Raikai Chibharo, Moses Sigauke, Michelle
Magonye, Kumbirai Maiswa, Trish Chireka, Nyasha Kapesi, Evermay
Chikoka, Lucas Sharara, Samson Gurupira and Laiza Magwizi participated
or convened a gathering knowing that such gathering is prohibited in
terms of section 5(3)(a) of Statutory Instrument 83 of 2020 Public
Health (COVID 19 Prevention, Containment and Treatment Regulations)
National Lockdown) Order, 2020.
Prosecutors charged that the nurses who are employed at Parirenyatwa
Group of Hospitals, Chitungwiza Central Hospital and Sally Mugabe
Central Hospital and numbered about 100 gathered at Sally Mugabe
Central Hospital intending to stage a demonstration and proceeded to
sing protest songs and waved some placards in contravention of
national lockdown regulations.
The nurses were ordered to pay RTGS$1 000 bail and to report once a
week at various police stations.
Sigauke, one of the nurses, was also charged with incitement as
defined in section 187 of the Criminal Law (Codification and Reform)
Act, after he allegedly recorded a video while in police detention at
Mbare Police Station and posted it on Facebook encouraging other
nurses to come and join the detained nurses in demonstrating at Mbare
Police Station.
The state alleges that Sigauke posted a message on Facebook which
reads; “Ngatingouya tizadze camp tese tiite demo yedu tiri mu camp.
Handiti ndimo munonzi muri illegal,” which if loosely translated
means; “Let’s all gather at the police station and stage our
demonstration.”
By posting such a message, prosecutors charged that Sigauke had
incited nurses to gather at Mbare Police Station and demonstrate and
cause violence.
For allegedly committing this offence, Sigauke was ordered to pay
RTGS$500 in bail money.
The nurses will return to court on 22 July 2020 with Sigauke also
appearing in court on the additional charge of incitement on 23 July
2020.
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